JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Americas’ Corporate Accounting Sr. Director, the Senior Manager organizes, manages, and controls the Corporate Accounting team in the USA, collaborating closely with the Corporate Accounting teams of Canada and Mexico, as well as with the Financial Planning and analysis team.  With the team reporting to the Senior Manager, this role is responsible for the preparation and presentation of financial reporting, booking of transactions, GL entries, Balance Sheet reconciliation, and all other duties related to Financial Statements.

This role plans and manages processes to ensure the integrity of the results. This person ensures that the recorded transactions comply with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).  This Senior manager is responsible for developing and improving operational tools, processes, and systems to ensure fluidity in execution.  A high level of analytics is also needed to validate information and support the company’s decision process.

The Senior manager promotes teamwork and coaches its direct reports and colleagues in order to create a proactive dynamic. The Senior Manager leverages the team’s expertise by developing the individuals.

The candidate should have a Big 4 CPA background, at the managerial level, with a deep understanding of group consolidation or accounts and reporting, and be able to work across borders and different cultures.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Solid knowledge of IFRS and financial reporting and be able to liaise with external auditors and manage the annual audit process.

• Responsible for overseeing staff reporting to him/her to streamline and execute robust, efficient, and accurate processes that reflect the highly matrixed and complex multinational structures of the company.
• Provide stakeholders analysis and reports.
• Know and ensure that IFRS standards and internal policies are appropriately applied.
• Ability to draft and implement accounting policy or accounting memorandum.
• Strengthen and administer effective infrastructure to diagnose issues and manage progress against objectives.
• Provide concise and actionable feedback to all levels of management regarding performance on initiatives. Participates cross-functionally in issue resolution.
• Improve and oversee accounting processes, financial systems structure, and tools.
• Analyze and explain results and variances; identify and communicate the main drivers of fluctuations between comparative periods. Find the source of issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Work knowledge of ERP, including its implementation or migration, and consolidation software is a big plus.
• Harmonization of processes in place across America’s accounting teams (United States, Canada, and Mexico)
• Work closely with the Financial Planning & Analysis team regarding budgeting/forecasting to ensure efficient execution and submissions to the head office in Japan.
• Collaborate to internal and external audit processes.
• Work knowledge or understanding of North American sales tax, VAT, and corporate federal and state tax is a bonus.
• Serve as lead and mentor to its direct reports and colleagues.
• Supervision of professional accounting employees.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s Degree required in Finance or Accounting; MBA or CPA is strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of financial management experience, including direct report supervision, preferably in an international corporate setting interfacing with multiple divisions.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Strong analytical skills, and deep understanding of the consolidation of financial data for a business with multiple business units using several currencies.
• Demonstrate forward-thinking, and act with a change agent mindset to drive continuous improvement.
• With a sense of urgency to address short-term issues and opportunities, but with a proactive approach for sustainable execution.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with overlapping deadlines, deliverables, and staff utilization in a fast-paced, ever-changing, and evolving work environment, in collaboration with multiple teams.
• Result-oriented, with a sense of quality.
• Deep knowledge and experience building Excel models and Business Intelligence tools.
• Proven track record of leading its teams as a business partner through teamwork, collaboration, and open communication.
• Skill to develop and motivate employees in its team.
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual presentation communication skills.
• English must be available to travel domestically and/or internationally up to 10% of the time.
• French an asset (working with Quebec-based employees)